11 Jun
On June 09th, 2024 / Sunday, Inspira Advisory & Consulting as part of USAID’s South Asian Regional Digital Initiative (SARDI) project, held a multi-stakeholder policy dialogue to address the concerns & challenges surrounding several enacted and soon-to-be-enacted policies on Digital Commerce, Data Protection, and Cybersecurity that will impact the MSME and e-commerce sector.
The event was joined by key policymakers, policy advisors, development partners, private sector stakeholders, and MSME development platforms to discuss ways forward that ensure unimpeded growth of these sectors across Bangladesh.
Part of the Cybersecurity Awareness Activity for MSMEs in Bangladesh, the project aimed to boost cybersecurity practices among Bangladeshi MSMEs and address key policy challenges through policy advocacy. Under this project Inspira has trained over 1500 MSMEs across 9 Districts in Bangladesh and reached over three million people on social media through their “Bebshay Digital Shurokkha” Campaign.
The policy dialogue event featured a Keynote presentation by Md. Saimum Reza Talukder, Senior Lecturer, BRAC School of Law and Mr. Tanvir Hassan Zoha, Assistant Professor, Bangladesh University of Business and Technology, sharing insights on regulatory and policy challenges that MSME face in the domain of cybersecurity and data protection.
The Honorable Secretary of the ICT Division, Md. Shamsul Arefin attended as the Chief Guest of the event. He emphasized the importance of engaging with relevant stakeholders before drafting laws or acts to ensure they are beneficial for all.
The Director General of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Brig Gen Mohammad Khalil-Ur-Rahman, attending as special guest, highlighted the need for more events like this to understand and address real issues appropriately. He stated, “Bangladesh is moving forward with the digital revolution, and for this, we need awareness among the people, and we are ready to work towards it.”
The Director General of the National Cyber Security Agency, Abu Sayed Md. Kamruzzaman, who attended the event as special guest, stated the importance of increasing cybersecurity awareness, noting, “As we strive for a ‘Smart Bangladesh,’ we need comprehensive awareness campaigns, even for professionals in law enforcement and the legal field.”
The Managing Director of the SME Foundation Mr. Salahuddin Mahmud pointed out that SMEs are the largest contributors to Bangladesh’s economy. He said, “As the world moves towards digitalization, it is essential for SMEs to be aware and protect their businesses.”
Former Senior Vice President of BASIS, Samira Zuberi Himika, who also attended as a special guest, stated, “We need a one-stop cybersecurity platform where SME owners or any victims can come and raise their issues and get solutions.”
Stakeholders present at the policy dialogue event discussed critical policies such as the Personal Data Protection Act 2023, the Cyber Security Act 2023, the Digital Commerce Act 2023, the National AI Policy 2024, and shared insights from their respective fields.
